Sicha, 11 Tammuz 5711
A. “When a Person Makes a Vow…”
In this week’s Torah reading, the Torah teaches the laws of vows. A person who vows to refrain from eating a particular food or from doing a certain act is obligated to keep his word (Source 1).
Maimonides explains that a vow can serve as a positive tool for refining a person’s character and conduct. For example, someone who habitually drinks too much wine should take a vow to abstain from wine (Source 2).
The Rebbe explains that the essential function of a vow is to create a protective fence through self-restraint. By means of a vow, a person distances himself even from things that are inherently permissible, thereby sanctifying himself.
At the same time, various statements of our Sages indicate that vows are not the ideal approach from the outset. The Jerusalem Talmud states, “Is it not enough for you what the Torah has already forbidden?” (Source 3). Likewise, Maimonides, in the Laws of Character Development, emphasizes that a person should not withdraw from the legitimate pleasures of the world or engage in excessive fasting (Source 4). The Sages even teach that a person will one day be called to account for permissible foods that he saw but did not eat (Source 5).
The Rebbe explains that there is no contradiction. A person who is in prime spiritual condition is meant to refine and elevate the permissible things of this world rather than withdraw from them. However, someone who is vulnerable to being drawn after worldly desires will not elevate the physical world, but will instead be dragged down by it. For such a person, a vow becomes a positive means of self-restraint and spiritual protection.
There is a well-known Chassidic saying: “What is forbidden is forbidden, and what is permitted is unnecessary” (Source 6). The Rebbe explains this in light of the Talmudic statement that “an unlearned person should not eat meat.” Why? Chassidut explains that the purpose of eating is to elevate the energy contained within the food and direct it toward holiness. This can be accomplished only by someone whose intention in eating is to strengthen himself for Torah study and the service of G-d, rather than merely to satisfy physical pleasure.
B. When Were the Rabbinic Safeguards Enacted?
This also explains the various safeguards and protective decrees established by our Sages, particularly during the period of the Second Temple.
During the First Temple era, the Divine presence was openly manifest. By the time of the Second Temple, however, spiritual darkness had increased. Consequently, the Sages introduced additional safeguards to preserve the holiness of the Jewish people. One example is the decree prohibiting the sounding of the shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, out of concern that someone might carry it in the public domain. This concern arose only in the spiritual climate of the Second Temple period (Source 7).
The same principle applies to every individual. When the light of G-d shines strongly within a person, they are able to use the material world in the service of G-d. But when spiritual darkness becomes stronger, they must establish boundaries for themselves and at times even refrain from permissible things so that they do not lead them away from the proper path.
The same idea applies in our own generation. The Rebbe encouraged people not to overindulge in saying “L’chaim.” Although previous generations practiced this more freely and used it as part of their service of G-d, the spiritual challenges of our generation make greater caution necessary (Source 8).
C. The Mitzvah Before Bar Mitzvah
The laws of vows contain a remarkable feature: they begin to apply even before a boy reaches bar mitzvah or a girl reaches bat mitzvah, beginning at approximately twelve years of age.
The lesson is that even at a young age, a person should begin learning to rise above materiality. Developing this discipline prepares him to fulfill all the other mitzvot properly.
